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Conwy Suspension Bridge

One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world blends in perfectly with a medieval castle.

Conwy, Wales

Conwy Suspension Bridge   Bencherlite
Conwy Suspension Bridge.   Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
Conwy Suspension Bridge.   Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
Conwy Castle.   Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
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Built in the 1280s by King Edward I, Conwy Castle is widely considered one of the finest fortifications of medieval Europe, worthy of its World Heritage status. Adjacent, spanning the River Conwy, is a magnificent suspension bridge with big castellated towers similar in style with the castle. But wait—a suspension bridge of such size can’t possibly be medieval, can it?

The fact is, it can’t, but it does happen to be one of the first road suspension bridges in the world. Completed in 1826, it was designed by architect Thomas Telford, who was also responsible for the construction of Menai Bridge, the world's first major suspension bridge.

The bridge did not have a walkway for pedestrian traffic until 1904, but today it operates solely as a footbridge, replaced by a new road bridge in 1958, just like it once replaced the ferry that ran at the same point.

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Castles Rivers Medieval Architecture Engineering History & Culture Bridges

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Published

November 8, 2024

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